2015: Who Will Defeat Jonathan? By Chido Onumah

Columnist: Chido Onumah

Let me say from the outset that it would be scandalous and a grave mistake for the opposition – and by this, I refer to the All Progressives Congress (APC) – to look toward any of the gladiators in the current war of attrition in the People’s Democratic Party, Aminu Tambuwal, Babangida Aliyu, Sule Lamido, etc., as a candidate for the presidency in 2015. With all due respect to these men, and not minding the fact that there are PDP elements in the APC, it would not only smack of unseriousness, but would leave voters no choice in 2015.

Having exorcised the incubus of a PDP takeover of the opposition, let’s pose the fundamental question: who will defeat President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015? We need to pose this question frontally and be sincere in our answers. That is the only way the opposition can assess its strength and chances as we head into the battle of 2015.

Too often, we hear the beer parlour assertion that, “President Jonathan is incompetent; he has to go in 2015”. Clearly, President Jonathan has performed woefully; but when was the last time incompetence cost anybody reelection in Nigeria? It didn’t happen with Shehu Shagari in 1983; certainly, not with Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.

What is needed, therefore, is a comprehensive strategy to defeat PDP in 2015. And top on the agenda would be the urgent need to market a national candidate who provides a clear and credible alternative to President Jonathan. If free and fair elections were held today (even though the PDP would never permit free and fair elections), chances are that President Jonathan will emerge victorious. I say this with all sense of responsibility.

This is not Nigeria of June 12, 1993, even though Bashir Tofa, the defeated presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in that election and now a chieftain of APC would want us to forget the election and its significance.

Of course, I sympathize with Tofa. I would bury any thoughts of that election if I had been in his position. It is not easy on one’s reputation and psyche running a presidential election and getting trounced in your home constituency. That must go down as one inglorious record for the Guinness World Records.

Back to reality. The country is fractured today as never before. There are still many out there who will vote on the basis of religion; many who will vote because of money, ethnicity and other mundane considerations. Of course, we have to grant them their right to poor judgment. That is the nature of democracy.

There are those who have argued, from their limited understanding of the issue, that one way of addressing the minorities’ question in Nigeria is for President Jonathan to go for a second term whether he deserves it or not. These are the issues that will come to play whether we accept them or not. It is this fracture – add money and rigging – that will determine the outcome of the 2015 election.

So, is the opposition ready to compete in 2015? The answer, of course, will depend on who you ask. Even though the PDP appears like a party that faces imminent implosion, the campaign for 2015 has started in earnest, the glib talk by the president and his handlers notwithstanding.

Nigerians are yearning for an alternative to Goodluck Jonathan; not just an alternative, but a credible alternative. Talking about the presidency in 2015, the APC, undoubtedly, is a party of immense potentials. But if elections were held today, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) is perhaps the only person with the pedigree, name recognition and national appeal who can give President Jonathan and the PDP a run for their money.

However, Gen. Buhari has not shown enough statesmanship to make him a winning candidate across the country. By his actions and inaction, the former head of state seems to be saying, “I don’t need the vote of majority of Nigerians to be elected president”. Lately, Gen. Buhari has been assailed by those who accuse him of making “unguarded and insensitive” statements. His handlers have repeatedly affirmed that he is a victim; one who is misunderstood and often misquoted. It may well be true. Leaving aside the issue of his comments, the expectation is that for a man who has run for president thrice and plans a fourth attempt, Gen. Buhari ought to be much more visible and active across the country.

He ought to be out on the street either comforting victims of various acts of terror across the country and offering them hope and a new vision for Nigeria or dousing the perception that he is a provincial leader. He has earned that right. Perhaps he ought to take a cue from Uzor Orji Kalu, a man who should be on trial for his ruination of Abia State.

We may not like it, but the truth is that after 14 years in power the PDP has managed to reach every nook and cranny of the country. The opposition needs do much to ingrain in the mass of our people the need for a better and workable alternative.

Time is certainly running out.

Globalising Media & Information Literacy

Next week (June 26-28), the global media and information literacy (MIL) movement will converge on Nigeria for the Global Forum for Partnerships on MIL (GFPMIL), incorporating the International Conference on MIL and Intercultural Dialogue.

With the theme “Promoting Media and Information Literacy as a Means to Cultural Diversity”, the conference which draws upon over 40 years of UNESCO’s experience in MIL, is a joint initiative of UNESCO, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Government of Saudi Arabia, the Swedish International Development Agency, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and other key stakeholders around the world.

The GFPMIL will be a permanent mechanism and seeks to globally reposition MIL around the core objectives of: articulating key strategic partnerships to drive MIL development and impact globally focusing on seven development areas: 1) governance and citizenship; 2) education, teaching and learning; 3) linguistic and diversity intercultural dialogue; 4) women, disabled and other disadvantaged; 5) health and wellness; 6) business, industry, employment and economic development; 7) agriculture, farming, wildlife protection, forestry and natural resources conservation.

With Africa as a Global Priority for UNESCO, the International MIL and Intercultural Dialogue Conference will focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa and will be the first global partnership project in this domain. It will set the way forward for future partnerships, enabling the MIL community to speak as one voice on certain critical matters, particularly as it relates to policies.

Let’s hope that Nigeria’s participation will go beyond the conference to embrace this global phenomenon that seeks to provide the vital life skill for students and youth to become critical thinkers and consumers of information and media messages and, therefore, active participants in their societies.

http://saharareporters.com/column/%E2%80%A82015-who-will-defeat-jonathan-chido-onumah

Of course, none. The opposition has succeed in promoting his popularity. They promised of making the country ungovernable for him, which they did with the introduction of boko haram. Even the indigens of the states initially taken over by the bh are now praising the govt 4 introducing emergency rule. I cant remember when last i experienced a 24hour black out. The seasonal fuel scarcity has ceased. Some people in the past have purchased petrol as costly as #400.00 per litre during the period of petrol scarcity. Look at Benin-Ore road which the past administrations left as a death trap is now perfectly rehabilitated just to mention but a few. Lastly every Nigerian knows that the major reason why they are fighting this administration is not because of poor performance but because a southerner is the president.

Even the Middle-Belt that av been marginalized by the core north or Housa Baquai av endorsed Gej. Change can only come in the year 2015. More over the North has forgotten what the British told then b4 handing over power to them. They were told not to allow power to shift to the south and that if they loose the power, they might not get it again. Gej 2015. He power could still shift to the north, it will be after 2050, if Nigeria is not divided.

Also wondering

GEJ is the best President that we have had in Nigeria and he is also the most democratic. The unfortunate thing is that Nigerians are not used to real democracy. I have not seen the person that will defeat him that is the gospel truth.

See the comments from village bigots...

You will see fireworks across the country when the time comes. Let APC get its registration first.

y

jjcbuthot: See the comments from village bigots...

You will see fireworks across the country when the time comes. Let APC get its registration first.

you see your life?where will the fire come from?can't you see the handwriting on the wall?All christian in the NORTH now realised that word AREWA,(simply means muslim)no any magomago now.if your name is not mohammed or ahmed,or jamila,or rukaiya nobody will give you a job in the office where non christian is heading,so just forget that name called AREWA,they can NEVER decieved chistians in the north now.who is going to be the president in the APC? is it JERRY GANA,SOLOMON LAR,DAVID MARK,GENERAL HANANIYA,ISAIAH BALAT,OR WHO?you will only hear,MUHAMMADU BUHARI,SULE LAMIDO,IBRAHIM SHEKARAU,ATIKU ABUBAKAR,NUHU RIBADU ETC.If really the AREWA are sincere,let them support a christian candidate in the north,but can they do it?so forget that issues of fireworks,who are they going to use that on?we are waiting.(IN KAJI KULE,KACE CHAS)A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.

dontecrosofiso: yyou see your life?where will the fire come from?can't you see the handwriting on the wall?All christian in the NORTH now realised that word AREWA,(simply means muslim)no any magomago now.if your name is not mohammed or ahmed,or jamila,or rukaiya nobody will give you a job in the office where non christian is heading,so just forget that name called AREWA,they can NEVER decieved chistians in the north now.who is going to be the president in the APC? is it JERRY GANA,SOLOMON LAR,DAVID MARK,GENERAL HANANIYA,ISAIAH BALAT,OR WHO?you will only hear,MUHAMMADU BUHARI,SULE LAMIDO,IBRAHIM SHEKARAU,ATIKU ABUBAKAR,NUHU RIBADU ETC.If really the AREWA are sincere,let them support a christian candidate in the north,but can they do it?so forget that issues of fireworks,who are they going to use that on?we are waiting.(IN KAJI KULE,KACE CHAS)A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.

Continue with what you know best and the only weapon in your hand - religion division.

Very soon Nigerians will see themselves as Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe. What you will use to campaign at time I dont know.

Dullard...

jjcbuthot:

Continue with what you know best and the only weapon in your hand - religion division.

Very soon Nigerians will see themselves as Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe. What you will use to campaign at time I dont know.

Dullard...

so don't just stay in one region or state or where rascals like you are,to start saying when the fireworks begins bla,bla,bla.because you need to open your eyes and see reality concerning nigerian politics.You can't deny that religion is not playing a big part in nigeria politics,is there,and it will even increase forever.